Manuski means humanism in Marathi. A term used by Dr B.R.Ambedkar, a great humanist of India. This blog want stimulating debate without any prejudices of caste, religion and nationalism. It is about humanism and human rights. All freethinkers are welcome to contribute and participate in stimulating debates.

Monday, June 01, 2015

Senegal : A secular nation with rich Islamic heritage

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Senegal remains one of the most
peaceful nations in the African continent. With a massive 95% Muslim population
Senegal was a French colony and thousands were people were taken as slaves by
the Europeans in the 17th century. The beautiful city of Dakar is a
peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean with beautiful French influence on its broader
roads and buildings which undoubtedly make life here fascinating with a grand
mix up of French and African traditions.

As you land at the small but
beautiful Leopold Sedar airport which is about 5 kilometer distance from the
downtown Dakar. Leopold Sedar was the first President of Senegal after its
independence in 1963 hailing from a Christian Community who went to elite
institutions in France for his education and was a statesman, author and poet.
So those who comprehended that Muslims will not live in a plural and democratic
society as long as they are a majority will have to not only change their opinion
but appreciate it after coming to Senegal how a nation of 95% of its population
as Muslims is thoroughly secular as well as democratic with first president
belonging to Christian community.

The fascinating part of the
Senegalese culture is a curious mix of liberal democratic values as well as
sticking to tradition too. While women’s are in street, at the market, in the
media and in the politics talking about democracy and modernism a large number
of men practice polygamy and justify that in the name of Islam. ‘ Islam permit
us four marriages’, said Fallou, a fifty plus tour guide who took us to Goree
Island nearly 30 kilometer from the uptown of Dakar where we were putting up
and added,’ in our society one marriages is nothing. You are not a ‘Man’ if you
are married to just one. I have three wives and 9 children and six
grand-children.’ I ask him if he is still missing one more wife and pat comes
the reply,’ yes Sir. I am planning to marry again’. I joke how does he manages
when we in India feel that even one marriage is not ‘workable’ in these
economically tough times and he answers with full conviction,’ ‘you may not
understand our culture. We are happy. There is no problem. Two of my wives live
with me and the third one live separately. Now, after marriage, my new wife
will live with my third wife and there is perfect harmony’.

It is not that all the men opt
for polygamy. Abdullah owns a small shop of artifacts with beautiful design
woods in the down town. He has one son and a wife. His wife works in a company
to earn and add to the family. He is a caring husband. ‘Do you feel offended
with the kind of ‘clothing’ women wear here, ‘No, there is nothing wrong in it.
We are a secular country and all religions, customs, individuals have freedom
to wear what-ever they feel comfortable,’ he answers confidently. Now, it is
this trait of Senegalese that I loved the most. Despite the well-known fact
that it is a secular country yet cultural influence of Islam is visible
everywhere but it is also true that Islam here has strong African resonance. So
both African identity as well as Islamic identity are important and kept the
country together. The beauty of this great confluence African traditions mixing
up with Islam is visible at every nook and corner. There is a strange paradox
here. Despite feeling in traditions, men still talk about secularism and
democracy. Fallou is one of the finest narrators, as a tourist guide that I
ever came across in my life. He speaks at ease in both French and English. ‘We
are a secular country despite over 95% of Muslim populations. Christians and
Muslims in this country live in complete harmony’, he says emphatically.

Women are the foundation of this
country. It is great to see them in so diverse and colorful dresses confirming
both Islamic as well as African identities. They greet you in the shops, hotels
and everywhere and are talkative enough to be friend with you. At the Goree
Island, which was famous for slave trade for Europeans, today represent a
famous tourist spot. There is no denial of fact that Senegal is a country of
absolute romance with love for art, nature and boutiques. As you enter the
island through boat which are easily available on a regular interval from
Dakar, the fragrance and the structure attract you. You meet warm people who
have a history of being taken into one of the most heinous crime that was
inflicted by the Western World on the native people of Africa. Yes, slavery
tortured the soul of Africa, tore their heart and destroyed their civilization.
Stories of slavery at this island can bring tears into your eyes but a salute
to the people of this place that their pains and agony have not converted into
hatred. That is the best part that I found here that despite so much of torment
one see people moving ahead, speaking to all and not in perpetual hatred.
President Leopold Sedar Senghor wrote in his appreciation for Curator who
developed the Museum in Goree Island dedicated to history and culture of
Senegal,’ ‘Oh Lord, Forgive white Europe. For true it is during four centuries
of enlightenment, Europe threw its gross and ruthless hordes on our lands and
Christians, Forbidding the light and clemency of thy heart lit their bivouacs
with parchments, tortures our fellows, deported our doctors, my ministers of
science.’

Slavery was practiced locally in
Africa before 15th century and once the European found it they
exploited it to spread their trade towards West Indies, America and other
regions.In the XXIIth century the
British, the French, Dutch, Danes, Swedes and the Portuguese started coming
here and started taking slaves for their business interest in the ‘New World’
which was far away in the Americas.Their conditions were pathetic and they were kept in a place. A visit to
‘Maison tics Esclaves’ or ‘Slave House’ is a resounding slap on the
faces of those who claim to civilized the world by imposing their racist
perception on human beings. Young men, women, old, young and even children were
kept as slave to be taken to Americas. It wounded the African self-esteem and
their civilization. I could see hundreds of tourists who visit here recording
the entire narration by the guide. There is a deep sense of anguish and you are
filled in deep resentment and anger against those who initiated this horrific
tradition. A quote here says,’ May this ‘house’ serve as meditation ground for
all generations of Africans to advocate immortal humanism and tolerance’.

While in the ground floor the
slaves were living in utterly despicable, inhuman and torturous conditions, on
the above the Europeans had beautiful wooden crafted rooms for their stay in
Goree. One does not know how they would live peacefully when just below them
were people being tortured and kept enslaved to be taken to Americas. ‘Only a
wooden floor separated the lustful mores of the ones from the miserable decay
of the others. How could they afford living upstairs with everything that was
happening downstairs’, says another quote.

Goree is a very small island and
one street link to others. There is a church, a museum and hills. One thing you
notice here the art work by the local artists. Sand art is very popular here
and you can see artists using sands of different colors in their paintings. Climbing
up the hills and you will find ‘La Castle’ from where you can see the Island as
well as Atlantic surrounding it. As you walk around scores of young men and
women crave for your attention with beautiful selling items made of sand, wood
and stones. I can confirm that it is rare you find such smiling people
compelling you to buy their product. ‘I give you special price, my friend. Its
beautifully carved item of local stone’, said a dark complexioned girl when she
saw me negotiating for price from another man. Oh, you don’t want to speak to
me because I am dark, she said to me, virtually piercing my conscience. No, you
are beautiful, I said to her but I have already brought so many things that I
neither have money, nor space to buy anything’. She is determined to sale her beautiful
things to me and therefore she continue with her conversation. ‘You know, I am
doing my graduation in International business and I am doing this work to
assist my mother and complete my studies’, she says.‘What does your father do’, I ask her. ‘Oh,
he has got other wives to stay with as my mother does not stay with him any
more’.‘Why don’t you object to your
father marrying more women’, I tease. ‘How can we object, four marriages are
permissible in Islam’, she says but add that she would not like to get married
in such a family’.

As I pass through the lanes of
Goree and later Dakar, I found despite all odds and cultural issues,

Muslims
have contributed to art, culture and music of this nation. I have never found
so many creative geniuses anywhere as I have seen in Senegal. The simple market
of local products simply allures you to buy them. They have kept the spirit
high despite international pressure. The Senegalese delicacies are simply
delicious and the red chilies here are too hot to tolerate. I remained under
impression that none eat hotter food comparison to Indians but Senegal proved
me wrong. After the meals you are served mint tea in typical Senegalese style.
At the road side eateries, many times, I greeted women with ‘asslamwalekum’ and
it initiates a conversation more warmly. I asked about their colorful dresses
which they wear most of the time. Burqa is not visible in Senegal though most
of the Muslim women actually cover their head with diverse kind of scarfs. I
questioned about this to many as whether there is any objection about their
dressing or going out for work, in their families and the answer was a
resounding no. The local delicacies, the long grilled fish with chutney and
rice or shrimps gives you an insight of Senegalese food. La-Ghazal was the
beer, which we enjoyed a lot during the trip. The cold drink named, as ‘Rani’
made me believe the influence of India in Africa.African friends in Kenya and Uganda confirmed
many time that Indians do not really get mixed up with their societies and even
when slavery has ended, the domestic servants always get a raw deal in their
homes but the Indian businessmen have created a niche for themselves in Africa
and different soft drinks as well as hard drinks are produced by seemingly
Indian companies. Of course, when I asked the meaning of La-Gazal, as I thought
related to Ghazal but it turned out to be ‘sexy lady’.

One of the most fascinating things
for me was the roadside singer and drummers singing something, which you don’t
understand yet if you love diversity and sound of music, it is worth enjoying.
I loved each moment of these very talented youngsters who gave a feeling of
Senegalese music and importance of keeping these traditions alive.
Unfortunately in this age of mechanism and electronic instruments the manual
traditions are disappearing giving way to loud ‘noise crackers’.

Senegal is a peace loving country
and also an ideal tourist destination. And for me it is so for two to three
different purposes. One, obviously, it is beautiful but most importantly it
will remind each one of us the dirty passed of people who used their
‘knowledge’ to abuse others. The scars of slavery are not yet over as countries
are still fighting for their basic needs. So, Goree and other islands provide
you a link to the dirty games of European power in exploiting people through slavery,
which is definitely crime against humanity.

This country and its political
structure can easily dispel myth that Muslims majoritarianism takes you to
Islamic way of governance based in Sharia laws. An overwhelmingly Muslim
society has opted for secular ways of life and is absolutely in peace with
Islam too. Though traditions and polygamy is prevalent there but it is actually
not really an Islamic issue but the old communitarian culture of Africa where
bigger families were considered to be the sign of ‘kingliness’ and religious.
Most of the men that I spoke to actually justified it in the name of tradition
but a large number of women felt that though it was a tradition yet they felt
it is every difficult for a man to love his wives equally as defined and
ordered by Islam. Interestingly, Senegal saw two women prime ministers in the
past and there are politicians, bureaucrats and even journalists. The oldest
journalist as one my friend who interviewed me said was 85 years of age. People
are adopting modernity as well as also sticking to their moral values as
prescribed under Islam for them. Their religion is not coming in the way to go
to school or do any kind of work. I found that absolutely great given the
nature of obstruction that we see in our part of the world when women try to
come of their home for work, it looked refreshing. There may be issues of
polygamy but one hope with the passage of time these things will disappear
slowly as education and work pressure will bring necessary changes as woman
journalist who I interviewed mentioned to me that though things may not be that
great yet they are changing slowly as mindset here is more open and amenable
despite religious values in personal life and that is why there is no prohibition
on women to join services of their choice. Most of the women that I interviewed
here suggested that religion and modernism have never been in conflict in
Senegal and women will always enjoy their identities of being a Muslim and
African. The statue of African renaissance reminds us the glorious traditions
of Africa and how women they are playing greater role in the strengthening
social and political democracy fighting for not just their own rights but also
seeking control over natural resources. It is remarkable that Senegalese have
developed positive changes without any malice and hatred towards any one
despite having faced racial discrimination and exploitation at all level from
those who claim to be the most ‘civilised’ societies. Today, Senegal is
actually giving lesson of tolerance and respect to the entire world.

Followers

About Me

Learning through working. Working at the grassroots made me realise the big difference between those who claim to represent communities as well as the communities themselves. Common man is crushed between the ambitions of various individuals to lead and dominate. The dominant and high numbered communities will always dominate our discourse and the most marginalised are losing in this entire discourse. That is the reason why Mushahar remain at the marginalised and the issue of manual scavenging still not on our top agenda and to eliminate that the community has to decide its own organisations..

I am devoted to freedom of ideas and expression. I personally feel that we in the subcontinent want to dominate and control our discourse and each one of is a ultra nationalist in terms of their caste and community. Nationalism is not just national and political but it is equally in term of religion and caste. I feel each kind of nationalism is a dominant discourse which deny the dissenter a right to speak.

At the end, we all want to listen the truth suitable to us.. we have become expertised in the art of speaking truth of convenience. As long as that remain hall mark of our society and we speak to already converts, this society will remain stagnant, it will always try to control our ideas and choices. We need to oppose any such perception, ideas that want to control our mind and victimise us.

To understand India further, I feel, it is good to do foot walk, ( Padyatras) to various parts of the country. I have so far done it thrice covering nearly 1500-2000 kilometers. It is always interesting to see how people are coping their issues and what is the reason of their exploitation.